You Got Me
by DareToDream17
Summary: "Listen Rachel, I am going to tell you this for your own sake, since nobody else will," Santana piped in, "But the only reason why you are on the Homecoming court is because it is a joke. People only voted for you so they could make fun of you."
1. Prologue

Prologue

**A/N: So this is my first Glee story! I love that show unconditionally, and I decided I would write a story about it. But before you read, here is a little background (I am not going to give much away, since that ruins the element of surprise) Quinn never got pregnant, and Rachel never truly ****dated Finn. You will see more on their relationships in this chapter, but this story line does stray a little from the show. This story centers mostly around Rachel… and another character :)**** I hope you all like my first shot at Glee! **

Rachel Berry walked the hallways of McKinley High School, singing silently to herself. It was just another monotonous, ordinary day. She was slushied when she got to school (strawberry, today) by the hockey team, found a vulgar drawing of herself taped to her locker (seriously, her boobs weren't _that _small), and was either taunted or ignored by the majority of the school. You would think she would be crying in a bathroom stall, complaining to her friends on how much she hated her life. But Rachel Berry had no friends. She was too bossy, too clingy, and used too big of a vocabulary for people to understand. That's what people told her, at least. She thought that she actually could be kind of a fun (if she let loose), but nobody gave her a chance. Nobody wanted to be near her, because talking to Rachel Berry was committing social suicide. So Rachel held her head high, threw herself into getting good grades, and carried on with her life. And sang.

Though she would never admit it, Rachel Berry was absolutely nothing without Glee Club. Yes, she 'quit' several times, but she always came back. It made her feel like she was part of something special. And when she pretended like the other glee club members liked her, it made her feel… normal.

Obviously, she tried to befriend the members of the club. She thought that her and Kurt would get along, since they had similar personalities, but that friendship didn't last. Kurt became best friends with Mercedes, and they united together to stay away from Rachel. That was that. And then there was Quinn, Santana, and Brittany. Santana never liked her since she was 'too much of a good girl,' Brittany was too clueless to have any real opinions, and Quinn stopped talking to her when she dated Finn for _a week_. That led her to Finn. She automatically liked Finn the second he joined the club, which was one of her biggest mistakes. She practically threw herself at him, and he did not know how to handle Rachel Berry. So when she asked him on a date, he couldn't help but say yes. (He was a little scared of her, which was kind of sad, since he was a foot taller than her.) Finn had just been dumped by his long-time girlfriend, Quinn, and he hoped that this date would help him get over her. It didn't. Rachel leaned in to kiss him, and he murmured Quinn's name. That didn't go over very well. (Go figure) He left Rachel Berry's house with a long lecture, desperate need for ear plugs, and a black eye.

So that was the end of the fabulous relationship between Rachel and Finn. After that fiasco, Rachel truly had nobody in glee to talk to. Finn hadn't talked to her since his awkward apology, Tina couldn't handle Rachel's mile a minute talking, and Artie just agreed with whatever Tina said. Mike and Matt, the football players and great dancers, ignored her or just stared at her boobs when she was dancing. So that left… Puck.

Rachel detested that foul, crude, wise-ass, disgusting excuse for a man. He was everything that she didn't like in a guy. Though he hadn't slushied her in a few weeks (Sadly, that was progress), she still couldn't stand him. He made fun of her clothes, her dancing, and the fact that she was so uptight. She was _not _uptight. She simply had high standards for herself that she wanted to meet, and she did whatever it took to get there. There was nothing wrong with having goals.

And that was Rachel Berry's life. In all honestly, it really wasn't anything special. At least, that was all Rachel thought until that morning. Her ordinary day? Not so ordinary after all.

Homecoming was a big event in McKinley High School. Girls would do anything to be on the Homecoming court. (And even some of the guys) Being a nominee meant that you were popular, which was what most of the school population wanted. It showed that people liked you, and it meant that you were one step closer to becoming Homecoming _Queen_. That was the ultimate prize. Wearing a crown, frilly dress, and having all eyes on you was Rachel Berry's dream, after all.

So in homeroom that morning, when Principal Figgins said through the intercom, "This year's Senior Homecoming Court is: Santana Lopez, Finn Hudson, Michelle Hastings, David Lowers, Quinn Fabray, Noah Puckerman, and Rachel Berry," Rachel almost had a heart attack. In fact, she thought she was dreaming when everybody looked at her. And what shocked her most was the fact that people weren't looking at her in horror, shock, or disdain. Her classmates had tiny smiles, and looked… proud? It didn't make sense to Rachel, but she didn't care. She was going to be on the Homecoming court. She was somebody. She would get to walk down the football field, between her two dads, smiling and wearing a pretty dress. She would have a chance at being on the top of the social pyramid.

"Um, congratulations Rachel," Finn said awkwardly, shuffling around at his locker which happened to be next to hers. It was after homeroom, and Rachel and Finn were at their lockers. The shock still hadn't worn off Rachel, so she was on cloud nine and barely heard him.

"Oh yes, thank you. Congratulations to you too Finn," Rachel said politely, deciding that being civil towards Finn was better than having an awkward tension around them. The last month had been awkward to say the least, especially when they sang together. Which was very often, considering they were the lead singers. (Rachel didn't think Finn was always the best, but she kept that to herself. She was a bit bias)

"I am a bit shocked that people voted for me," Rachel admitted, finally realizing that the odds of her being nominated she should have been microscopically slim. It made absolutely no sense that people voted for her, since people hated her. Why did they have the sudden change of heart?

"Oh… yeah, totally unexpected," Finn said, a flush creeping into his cheeks.

"You know something!" Rachel said suddenly, hating how accusing she sounded. Even though she didn't like Finn, she didn't want him to think of her as the lonely, crazy, girl she was to other people. She vowed to change the way people thought of her.

"No," Finn quickly shook his head, "I don't know anything. See you in glee," he said, grabbing his books and speeding to his next class.

Rachel was perplexed by Finn's odd behavior. Oh, there was definitely something weird going on. And Rachel was positive that he knew more than he let on. Even though she was sure her curiosity would get the better of her, she decided to let it go. Either way, she was on the Homecoming court, and nothing could change that fact. Maybe her dreams had finally been answered? She had so many dreams -one of them had to come true- right? Or maybe it was a fluke in the ballot counting? She immediately thought of the creep Jacob Ben Israel, stuffing the ballot box in Rachel's name.

The day passed by in a blur. A few people congratulated her, and she thanked them all with a hundred watt smile like a real star would do. She had been practicing that smile for a while now, and she was glad she finally had a chance to use it.

There was something odd, though, much like Finn's behavior. She couldn't help but notice people's expressions when she walked by. Usually they were mocking, but today they were… smug? The hockey team all had smirks on their faces, and their eyes were lit with amusement when Rachel walked by. One of the team members even whistled, much to Rachel's horror. She was used to the attention (negative, but still), so the day was peculiar for her. Just this morning, she was being treated like a stray dog, and now people were whistling at her? High school made absolutely no sense to Rachel. But she decided that she would pick whistling over slushie-ing any day.

Rachel was relieved when the day ended and glee began. She felt like she really needed to sing, since this day had just been weird. It had been a good day, yes, but she still felt like she was in an alternate universe. (Or dreaming. But she pinched herself and left a mark, so she knew that she was awake.)

Maybe it was just her imagination, but everyone in the room looked up when Rachel walked through the door. Some had smirks and some had nervous frowns, which was an odd combination.

"Ms. Diva is finally gracing us with her presence," Kurt sniffed haughtily.

Rachel looked down at her watch - she had a fear of being late- and saw that she was right on time. Clearly Kurt was just in a bitchy mode. Maybe he was… jealous that Rachel was on the Homecoming court? It did seem like Kurt's dream to win Homecoming Queen.

"Were you looking up what dress to buy for Homecoming?" Mercedes asked, causing most of the room to laugh. "Or do you or already have one picked out?"

"Wait… what?" Rachel asked, not used to being at a loss of words.

"You still don't get it?" Quinn asked incredulously.

"No," Rachel said, her voice wavering. Why was everyone being so _mean _to her? She knew that they didn't like her, but this was just ridiculous. They were being downright cruel, and Rachel had no idea why. She hadn't done anything to them to deserve this treatment. She _might _have been planning to gloat a little about her nomination… but she hadn't even gotten to that yet.

"Listen Rachel, I am going to tell you this for your own sake, since nobody else will," Santana piped in, "But the only reason why you are on the Homecoming court is because it is a joke. People only voted for you so they could make fun of you. So don't be too flattered and on your high horse. It is just for our entertainment."

"What… why?" Rachel sputtered.

"Because we can," Santana said smoothly. "Somebody started a Facebook group to vote for Rachel Berry as a nominee, so we got the whole school to do it. And seeing you walk around all day, thinking that people voted for you? Well that was priceless. _Now _do you get it?"

Rachel nodded her head weakly, too stunned to speak, which was a first for her. She had endured a lot at this hell hole of a high school these past four years, but this was the worst thing that her classmates had ever done to her. She was just a joke to them.

Luckily, Mr. Shuester came in and interrupted the tense air.

"Is everything okay?" he asked. As a teacher, he knew when something was wrong. But he also knew not to push the kids to talk to him.

Everyone nodded awkwardly, and Rachel took a seat in the back of the stands, behind everyone else. She didn't feel like being front and center today. Puck was the only one back there. (He liked to goof off during practice)

Just her luck.

"You okay, Berry?" he asked. He noticed when a girl was not okay, and this was one of those times. She was deadly silent, which was actually kind of nice, in his opinion.

"Great," she whispered.

Puck shrugged his shoulders, not wanting to get involved. Rachel Berry was the kind of the girl that you don't get involved with. She would rope you into her complicated life and yap about her feelings 24/7. She was every guy's nightmare. Exhibit A: Finn. He went on one date with her and came out with a black eye (Dang, that girl could punch!) So, in conclusion, Rachel Berry was nuts. Maybe she was a hot crazy chick, but the crazy part kind of cancelled out the hotness. Yeah, he did feel bad when he looked over and saw unshed tears in her sad brown eyes, but she did kind of bring it all on herself. She did things that pissed off the other kids (lying to get what she wanted, using words that made her sounds like a dictionary, signing her name with a fucking star), so they retaliated. It was simple math that even Puck could understand. (He will admit he did do some of the retaliating)

It was kind of weird for Rachel when she declined the solo that Mr. Shuester offered her. Quinn got the part, and she felt even more depressed as she watched Quinn and Finn sing to each other with their goo goo eyes. Apparently she missed the memo of them getting back together. It wasn't the fact that they were together that hurt her, it was the fact that Finn used her to get over Quinn. She wasn't a tissue to be thrown away. Sometimes, Rachel thought that people forgot she was a human being with real feelings.

Glee practice went by too slowly for Rachel. She lip sang the entire time, which didn't go unnoticed by everyone else. Somehow the room felt quieter without her voice carrying the song along. Rachel wanted to sing, but she felt like at any moment her voice would crack and her eyes would flood with tears. She was usually a strong person, but her emotions were too busy catching up with her. She hadn't let herself be upset in a while, but this felt like it could be her breaking point.

A nudge broke Rachel out of her trance. Puck was looking at her with his intense hazel eyes.

"Sing," he commanded.

And out of habit, Rachel sang. She belted out the music number with the other glee clubbers, catching everyone by surprise. This was her way of telling them _I am not going to let you _effect me. She wouldn't let anybody effect her from this day on. She would stay in the Homecoming court, regardless of why she was put there. She would make herself into what she wanted to be and what others wanted her to be. She would show everyone just who Rachel Berry _really _was.

A star.

**A/N: And there you have it, the prologue! (My chapters are usually longer and have more dialogue, so don't worry) I know some of you might be thinking, why wasn't Rachel immediately suspicious? She was so surprised and caught up in 'fame' that she didn't think of that. So that is the answer to your unspoken question.**** And also to clarify, I like Finn and Rachel together, but I also like Puck and Rachel, and this story seemed to fit them better. So… questions of the chapter: What do you think of this story so far? Should I continue? What do you want to see happen?**

**By the way, some of you that put me on your author alerts (from my Twilight stories) are probably wondering why I am writing in Glee all of a sudden. I just wanted to branch out of that fandom. I have had this written for a while, so I hope that you are okay with me doing other things. If not, just don't read this! This is pretty different from everything I have written, but I am glad I did something new. **


	2. I Won't Be There For You

Chapter 1: I Won't Be There for You

Just to get one thing straight, Noah Puckerman did _not _like Rachel Berry. He hated how loud and annoying she was, and the fact that she was a _total _prude definitely did not win her any points on the Puckerman Awesomeness list. So when he told her to sing in glee practice, and she freakishly listened to him? That meant _nothing_. He simply didn't like Rachel all upset and looking like she was about to cry. (Crying girls were his weakness.)

But he couldn't help but feel a tiny bit proud that Berry actually listened to him. He knew that when she belted out the lyrics with all those other singing losers, it was like her telling them to _shove it_. Maybe Berry had a backbone, after all. But that didn't change that fact that she still deserved everything that was coming to her. It was going to be one helluva time when Berry found out just what else the student body was planning. Yeah, he did feel a _tiny _bit guilty, since Rachel was his teammate and he wasn't helping her, but he couldn't dwell on shit like that. It was his _job _at McKinley High to be the badass who could get away with anything (like being in glee club), and he was not going to burn his rep by softening to Rachel Berry. She was just a girl that he didn't give a shit about. People (his mom) might be disappointed in him 'cause he acted that way, but he couldn't change who he was. He was Puck, the man-whoring, rude, funny guy that his friends loved and looked up to. He was a legend.

And nobody, especially Rachel fucking Berry, was going to change that.

"Hey, thanks for that," a girl's voice broke into his thoughts. He hadn't been paying much attention during the last half hour of glee club. He tended to do his own thing in glee, and the other members either didn't notice or just didn't care. Everyone was filing out of the room, so he guessed that glee was over. Finally.

"Think of the devil, and she shall appear," he mumbled to Rachel, smirking a bit at Rachel's confused expression.

"I am not sure what that is supposed to mean, but I would appreciate it if you could try be a tiny bit nicer to me. I haven't had the best day, which I am sure who are aware of."

"Uh, I can try Berry, but don't expect anything censored from this mouth. I say what I think, and it ain't always rainbows and butterflies."

Rachel scoffed. "You know what, Puck? I was coming over here to thank you for pushing me to my highest potentials, but I take it all back."

Puck stared at Rachel in shock for two reasons. One, she was going to apologize to him, which was an out of body thing for Rachel Berry to do. And two, she called him _Puck_. He had been trying to get her to call him that since glee club started months ago, but she always insisted on calling him Noah. She claimed that Puck made him sound like a balding, beer bellied man in a mid-life crisis. (That had kind of ruined his ego for the next hour, not that he would ever admit it.) So you can imagine his surprise when he heard _Puck _through Rachel Berry's lips. It sounded so normal and so… wrong. He didn't like it.

The next time he looked at Rachel, she was furiously packing up her stuff, getting ready to sprint out of the room.

"Don't be so dramatic, Berry, I was just giving you a hard time."

"Don't be so _dramatic_?" she almost screeched, "That is all anybody ever tells me. They tell me to shut up, get a life, and stop being such a cry baby. Well, I am sorry that I am _me_. And you know what? I want to change me. I don't want to be that Rachel Berry anymore. She is hated by everyone, a pain in the ass, and an overachiever. So thanks for the update _Puck_, since I wasn't aware."

Puck's mouth went dry. Shit, he really hurt her feelings. "Listen, I am sorry Berry…"

"Call me Rachel one goddamn time, would you?" Rachel sobbed. "Or is that too personal for you? Am I so repulsive to you that we are only on a last name basis?"

Double shit. "_Rachel_, that's not what I meant. I just call you Berry, since it seems normal. You know, kind of how you call me Noah? Well, used to call me Noah…" Damnit, now he was rambling! What the hell made him _ramble _to Rachel Berry?

"This is the last you will see of that Rachel Berry," she said defiantly. "I am going to deserve that Homecoming spot. I am going to be popular. I am going to have friends!"

Triple shit. Who _was _this girl?

"…I will show you all!" she continued, stomping her foot angrily. "Rachel Berry does not get walked on like a welcome mat! People in this school will learn to look up to me. They will _want _to be my friend, and they will appreciate my talent. I will show them all that Rachel Berry _deserves _to be on the Homecoming court! I will let them all know that their words don't hurt me. And they _will _like me!"

"Are you done?" Puck asked, "As fun as listening to you rant is, I really don't feel like playing Dr. Phil right now."

_Shit_, that wasn't the right thing to say. See, this is what he means by that whole uncensored mouth thing. Shit just comes spewing from his mouth, and he honestly cannot control it.

Rachel's little (but powerful) hand came flying up, hitting him right on the cheek.

"Dammit, Berry!" he yelped, cradling his read cheek in pain. (Remember, that girl can punch. He always thought Finn was just being a wussy about it, but damn he was right.)

"As much as I don't like using violence to solve situations, you deserved that. You are a tactless, insensitive jerk. I honestly can't believe you, Puck. I hoped that you might be different from all those other football jocks, but you are just like them. In fact, you are so much worse. So I would appreciate it if we just never talked again. I can only handle your insults for so long."

Rachel let out a little sob and charged away before Puck had a chance to say anything more. She couldn't bear hearing one more word about her flaws. (She didn't think she had _that _many, but whatever.) There was one thing Rachel Berry was sure about, though. This would be the last time Noah Puckerman _ever _insulted her.

... ... ...

"Dad, please let me!" Rachel begged, sitting on her knees and clasping her hands pleadingly. "I promise I won't max it out! I will only buy the necessary things, and it will barely cost a thing! _Please_, Dad!"

"And what exactly do you need to buy with this credit card that is so important?" her dad said sternly, "You have plenty of nice clothes."

Rachel fought back an eye roll. Those clothes were so… young. They were the _old _her. She wanted to change up her look a bit (Nothing too drastic, she wasn't going to change herself _completely_.) She just wanted clothes that were… normal. Jeans, boots, and tunics were what the girl wore these days, unlike the short plaid skirts, knee high socks, and Mary Janes that Rachel wore religiously.

"Well," Rachel stalled, "I have to go to the mall to buy a dress. Did I mention that today I got elected to be on the Homecoming court?"

"What?" her daddy boomed, walking into the room with a huge smile, "That is _great _news, Rach! I never realized that my daughter was so popular!"

"Yeah, I guess you could say that," Rachel shrugged.

She hated lying to her dads. They had no idea of the things Rachel went through. But she knew it was better to keep things from them, and tell them that her peers thought of her as a talented, kind, charming girl. That's what her parents thought of her. They would be mortified if they realized that she had to keep extra clothes in her locker to change into, get to class extra early to avoid embarrassment in the hallway, and sit in the glee room during fifth period because she had no friends to eat lunch with. And if they knew just how _cruel _those kids were, they would do something drastic like have a talk with the bullys' parents or home school her.

And as nice as home schooling seemed, she didn't think Julliard would even consider an application from a _dropout_. So lying was the way to go.

"Paul, our little girl is going to be at that big Homecoming game! Do you realize how big this is?" her daddy (the more doting one) said with enthusiasm.

"Okay Rachel, here is the credit card," her dad sighed, already aware that it was a lost battle for him. "We trust you not to go overboard."

"Do you want us to come with you?" her daddy bubbled. "I know the kind of colors you like, the style you wear…"

"Thanks Daddy, but I think I got this. Besides, I think I am meeting some other glee members at the mall. They are all just so excited that I am on the court… Santana and Quinn are also on it. We are going to dress shop together." Rachel just felt downright _bad _now. This was the biggest bullshit she ever told at one time, but she had to pretend like she wasn't a total loser in front of her dads. She wanted to keep them proud.

"Wow, that is wonderful," her dad said with a smile, "I am so happy for you, Rachel. You deserve all of this times a million."

"Thanks," Rachel gulped. She didn't deserve _any _of what she was going through.

"Spend as much as you need," her daddy winked, handing her the credit card. "And don't rush home! It is Friday night, you should be out having fun! Have a fun time shopping, darling!"

Rachel waved and quickly left before her guilt buried her alive. This was all too much.

Luckily, she found herself at the main Lima Mall twenty minutes later. They had everything she needed to complete her new wardrobe, plus lovely dresses (Rachel decided she would need to buy a dress for Homecoming now that she told her dads she would.)

She looked at the mall directory, not sure where to go. She knew what the other kids wore, but she didn't know _where _to get stuff like that. It was all so foreign to her, and she suddenly felt the need to cry (again.) Oh how she wished she had somebody to shop with. She wanted to try on silly clothes, have sleepovers, and gossip with girlfriends. But she was in this alone. After all, that is what put her on the Homecoming court. She was a friendless loser that was just a joke to everyone.

Eventually, she found herself at a department store with fitting jeans, trendy tops, and high-heeled boots. Perfect. _This _was normal. She _almost _found herself grabbing a plaid sweater vest, but she stopped herself in time. She couldn't help but feel proud of this small accomplishment.

She came out of the store with five pairs of jeans (one for each day of the week, each pair twenty dollars), a few tunics, some graphic tees, spiky boots, and flip-flops. Basically, she bought everything that the Old Rachel would have immediately deemed 'stupid.' And what surprised her most was the fact that she actually _liked _this stuff. It wasn't too ordinary, but it wasn't too out of her comfort zone (does that make sense?) Rachel was pleased with her progress. In just an hour, she was already one step away from being the Old Rachel. Not only would people like this New Rachel, but maybe, just maybe, Rachel would end up liking her new self too.

Next stop- dress shopping. Rachel thought back to a few hours prior when Mercedes cracked the rude joke about Rachel already buying her Homecoming dress. God, she was so off the mark it wasn't even funny. Yes, Rachel _did _like the spotlight, but she wanted it for good reasons. She wanted to be known as the girl with the talent. She never expected or _wanted _to hog the spotlight wearing a Homecoming dress while her peers mocked her.

Rachel sifted through the many dresses in a boutique that she heard girls in her class talking about. How was she ever going to pick one? There were so many options, and she needed one that would stand out (in a good way.) She wanted to shine on that Homecoming field, looking like a princess. What if she reverted back to Old Rachel and picked out a really ugly dress? What if everyone laughed at her on the field? Maybe quitting was the best idea after all. Then she wouldn't have to go through all of this uncertainty.

No, she couldn't quit. That would just make her a coward, and Rachel Berry was a lot of things, but she was not a coward. That would only make her a bigger target, and that was the last thing she needed.

With the help of a worker, she finally chose a deep red, floor length, strapless dress. It was something that both the Old and New Rachel liked, so she knew that it was the one. As much as Rachel wanted to change _every _part about her, she knew she couldn't do that. She was incapable of forgetting who she was and how she was brought up. Yes, she would show them, but she would try (key word: try) to take the high road. Well… she would start from there.

Rachel glanced down at her watch, seeing it was just past seven. Her dads weren't expecting her home any time soon, so she decided to go to the food court for dinner so they weren't suspicious by her short trip to the mall. Realizing just how sad that statement was, Rachel made a beeline for the cookie stand, wanting to drown away her sadness in baked goods. Normally she maintained a strict diet, but the just wanted to splurge for once in her life.

Rachel approached the little stand, and her mouth fell open in shock.

"You've got to be shitting me," she blurted.

Puck's eyes snapped up and widened in surprise. "You've got to be shitting _me_! Rachel Berry just fucking _cursed _like a sailor!"

Rachel's eyes narrowed as her and Puck's afternoon conversation hit her like a ton of bricks. Oh yeah, she _hated _this guy. Damn, she should have left the moment she recognized his stupid mohawk.

"Guess you weren't able to _not _talk to me," Puck said arrogantly, "You're not the first. Girls always pretend like they don't want a piece of the Puckerman, yet they always keep coming back."

"I hate you!" Rachel seethed, "And what are you doing here anyway? Are you trying to ruin my Friday night since glee rehearsal was not enough?"

"I work here," she heard Puck mumble.

"_You _work at a cookie stand?"

"Pool cleaning isn't exactly a year round job," his eyes narrowed.

Rachel busted out laughing. "You… bake cookies! That is just… priceless! The badass of McKinley is a cookie maker."

"Shut up!" Puck growled, "You are just some stupid loser geek, so stop making fun of my fucking job. You don't know anything, so stop pretending like you are somebody. Nobody likes you. Get over yourself."

"Please just give me a cookie, and I will go," Rachel whispered, "Like I said earlier, I can only take so many insults."

Guilt etched its way into Puck's face. "Listen, I probably shouldn't have gone off like that-"

Rachel held her hand up. "Please Puck, just give me my cookie."

Rachel waited silently as Puck went back into the small room behind the counter. She honestly didn't think this day could get any worse.

A few minutes later, Puck returned, holding a giant cookie. Like, _huge_.

"I am not an ogre," Rachel mumbled. "How much do I owe you?"

"It is on the house," Puck shrugged, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"I can pay," Rachel protested, "I don't want you to get in trouble."

"I like trouble," Puck said, almost grinning.

Rachel nodded uncomfortably and walked away. She wasn't exactly sure where her and Puck stood. One minute she told him to never talk to her again, and the next he was giving her free cookies. It was confusing to say the least.

Rachel took a seat at a table nearby. She unwrapped the cookie and gasped at what she saw. It wasn't a nude drawing or even an insult. On the giant cookie was a message, handwritten by Puck in icing. "_Sorry_," it said in huge capitol letters. And under in his loopy handwriting it said, "_P.S. This doesn't mean we are friends_."

Rachel smiled, unable to stop herself. It might have been a small gesture, but to Rachel, it meant everything. This was Puck's way of telling her that he was sorry. He was sorry for everything he said to her and everything he put her through. Rachel had never had _anyone _tell her that they were sorry. And the part about them not being friends? It might have seemed rude to other people, but that was just plain _Puck_. Rachel couldn't have expected anything more or anything less.

She looked back at the cookie stand, wondering if Puck was watching her as it all unfolded. She hoped that after today, they would call their relationship (or whatever you called it) a truce. She wanted to give him a small smile and nod to let him know that she was done fighting, and they could go back to ignoring each other. But when Rachel looked over, Puck was already back in the kitchen.

... ... ...

Just to get one thing straight (again), Noah Puckerman did _not _like Rachel Berry. He just didn't like fighting with her. That girl had a sharp tongue, quick wit, and no boundaries when she made her opinion known. He just wanted to call it a cease fire, okay? He knew that his insults effected her more than she let on, and Puck didn't want to add fuel to the fire. So that whole I'm-Sorry-Cookie-Thing was just his way of calling it a truce. And when he saw that smile light up her face like Christmas came early, he knew he made the right decision. He went back into the kitchen before Rachel saw him, since he didn't want to talk about his apology. He couldn't explain why he even tried to patch things up with her, so he really didn't want to talk her about his _feelings _toward her (Not romantic feelings you morons, just like, normal ones.) Besides, he figured if they started talking again, they would just get into another fight, and he really didn't feel like fighting her right now. (It was kind of fun, though.)

A few more cookie sales later, his co-worker Andy finally showed up to take over his shift. _Finally_.

Though Puck wouldn't admit it, he hated his fucking job. Baking cookies was a wimpy ass job, yet Puck was _doing _it. Pool cleaning was only successful in the summer, and Puck needed a job that would hire him (not many would.) His family wasn't in the best position right now, and as the man of the house, Puck felt like it was his duty to step up to the plate and make his own money. He actually wanted to go to college, and he knew that he would have to contribute some of his own money if he wanted to go. So baking cookies it was. None of his friends knew about what he was really doing (they thought he worked at Victoria's Secret), so when Rachel started making fun of his job, it really pissed him off. She had no idea that his family was going broke (their dad left and took all the money a few years ago.) She had no idea that he just wanted to have back-up money to provide for his family. He really didn't mean to go off on her like that, but her quick judgment just made him… furious.

He checked his surroundings before leaving the stand. As jerkish as it sounded, he didn't want to encounter Rachel right now. You can only handle Rachel Berry for so long in one day.

When he saw her empty table, he knew he was in the clear. And it was Friday night, so that made him feel _ten _times better. He could stay out late partying and sleep until noon the next day. God, he loved his life.

Aw, shit! He remembered that he had to baby-sit his little sister tomorrow. At ten years old, he thought that she was perfectly capable of watching herself, but his mom disagreed. His mom was working like _crazy _lately, taking extra shifts at the Lima Hospital whenever she could. She was a nurse, so her job kept her tied up. Puck usually respected her for being a hard-working, single mom, but tonight he just resented her. He wanted to _party _and drink and get trashed for Christ's sake!

His phone rang, and he hastily answered, thinking it was his mom telling him to get home so he could watch his sister in the morning.

"Yeah?" his curt voice sounded through the phone.

"Hi, it's me," a girl's voice giggled.

Well damn, this definitely wasn't his mom. Hallelujah.

"And who is this?" he said, smirking. He knew it was one of the girls he regularly got… nice things... from. They were his booty call (if you will), but they didn't mind, and Puck sure as hell didn't mind.

"It's Amber, silly! You know that," she laughed.

Amber… He tried to picture her. Some of the girls looked pretty similar, so he wanted to make sure she was an attractive one before he got himself into deep shit. Hmm… he was pretty sure she had blonde hair and blue eyes. Maybe freckles? Keeping up with woman was so freaking hard. He needed to make a book with a table of contents to keep track of these things. And people said Puck's life was easy- hah!

"Want to come to my house tonight?" she said breathily, "My parents are gone for the night. And I haven't seen _you _in so long."

Damn. This was a good offer. But then his mind went back to his little sister. He would have to be back home my seven AM, and that would be cutting things close. But… he has made it home earlier. Why should he have to put his life on hold to _baby-sit_? He was allowed to have some fun, right? He was _Puck_.

"Sorry, I am going to pass," he said, sounding angry. "See you later."

Man, he deserved an award for what he just did. He was the _poster boy _of self restraint. He could have easily gotten laid tonight, but instead he decided to be a good child and go home to watch his sister. Maybe he needed to get his head checked (from Berry's sock to the face,) and that was why he was being so... Not Puck. Or maybe he was just maturing? He laughed out loud at that one.

Remembering he was still on his cell phone, he hung up quickly before he could hear the girl whine or something. Girls just didn't know what no meant, did they? They pleaded and begged and whined and were - dare he say it- sometimes even _worse _than Rachel Berry. What a concept.

Puck ran his hand through his mohawk dejectedly. How was it possible his day went from bad to worse? He immediately thought of Rachel, whose day was even shittier than his, but he pushed that thought away. Thinking about the girl with brown eyes who almost cried in glee practice was not how he wanted to spend his Friday night.

Puck drove him in silence. When he got home, his little sister was all happy to see him, and when he pulled out a cookie he made just for her, she was all smiles and laughter. And his mom was just sitting on the couch with a huge smile on her face, happy that Puck wasn't a crappy brother like he was a person. As much as Puck would have loved to be back at Amber's (?) house, banging her like no tomorrow, he was actually glad that he went home. After all, home is where the heart is. (_Shit_, now he is sounding like a fucking romance novel with all these trashy clichés.)

And while he was at home, playing board games and watching movies with his mom and sister, he couldn't help but wonder how Rachel Berry was spending her Friday night. (For the last time, Noah Puckerman did _not _like Rachel Berry.)

... ... ...

Rachel Berry arrived to an empty home. In a way, that was good, because she wouldn't have to explain to her dads why she came home with five bags. She was planning to tell them that her 'friends from glee' _made _her buy these things, but now it seemed like she had a jail free card.

She found a note on the counter from her dads, saying that they went out for the night with some of the other members of the local gay community, and they would be home late. Rachel sighed, not content with spending her Friday night home alone. It made her feel like a loser, like the girl who got put into the Homecoming court as a joke. She didn't want to think of herself that way tonight.

She put on her favorite movies, made popcorn, and stayed up until midnight. After the second movie ended, she put all of her new clothes away, sorting them by color and then by style. Once one AM rolled around, Rachel stopped pacing the kitchen floor and went to her room. She crawled into bed and cried, hating how she was waiting up for her _parents_. Weren't they supposed to be the ones waiting for her, making sure that she got home okay? Why did she act so _old_?

As Rachel cried herself to sleep, she made a promise to herself that this would be the last time she cried because of who she was. Tomorrow was a new day, and the Old Rachel was going to transform into the New Rachel. And on Monday morning, her fellow students would be _blown away _by who that new girl was. God, she loved having the last word.

But for some reason, at two AM when her dads finally came home, and she was in that weird half asleep/half awake state, she only had one coherent thought: _I wonder what Noah is doing right now… _

What the heck was that supposed to mean?

**A/N: You all have NO idea how blown away I was by your response to the last chapter. You guys gave amazing reviews (I got **_**twenty**_**! I have never gotten that many on the first chapter, **_**ever.**_**) I also had so many alerts and favorites, which just astounded me to no end. I literally teared up when I had over seventy emails in my inbox, all from FanFiction. So all of your feedback is what got this chapter out of me so fast. I was inspired to write, and this chapter just wrote itself. So really, THANK YOU all! If you guys keep putting in a little effort like leaving a review, I will put in all my effort in giving you great chapters. By the way, if anyone is interested in Beta-ing, this story, let me know, because I could really use one. Sorry for any mistakes!**

**Important A/N You Really Shouldn't Skip: The sixtieth reviewer gets a one-shot written by me! You think of a plot to a Puck/Rachel, and it must be T or lower rated. It must be in the genre: romance, humor, friendship, drama, angst, or hurt (You can combine, just think of a plot within that category.) Basically, your options are endless if it doesn't have horror, crime, or adventure. So if you want this one-shot, be the sixtieth reviewer! It is easy! This contest will go on until I hit 60, so it could happen soon, or it could happen in five chapters. It is all up to you guys!**

**Thanks for reading :)**


	3. Change is a Good Thing

Chapter 2: Change is a Good Thing

On Monday morning, Puck stood by his locker, looking all badass and cool and flirting it up with a girl from his math class. She was totally into him (honestly though, what girl wasn't?) and he was taking advantage of the situation by getting her phone number. This weekend he wasn't working at that damn cookie stand, and he was totally going to get some action to make up for his shitty weekend.

After he dismissed the girl he was talking to (he forgot her name already), he saw Finn walking up to him, wearing a scowl.

"Dude, you are such a whore," Finn said sadly.

"Usually girls are described as whores, but I guess I can roll with that," Puck shrugged. "I like having sex with girls. Girls like having sex with me. I know it and you know it. Hell, the whole school knows it. Why do you care about morals now?"

"I just wish you could settle down with one girl," Finn explained.

"Shit, Quinn sure is getting to you, isn't she? She is brainwashing you with her morals. You might be happy going out with Ms. Purity, but I like living my life on the edge."

"Quinn and I live on the edge!" Finn protested.

Puck scoffed. "Right. You two are just a ball of excitement. She breaks up with you, and you two get back together. The end."

"Shut up! Quinn is great for me."

"Do you even like her?" Puck raised an eyebrow.

"Of course I do! Besides, everybody thinks that we should be-"

"See? There you go. You guys are only going out to make yourselves seem normal."

"That is not true…I like Quinn. _But _I will admit I did kind of have a thing for Rachel Berry when I went out with her for like two seconds."

Now Puck was intrigued. "Really? Then why did you say Quinn's name when you kissed her?"

Finn looked torn. "You see… I kind of like Rachel's personality and all. She can be overwhelming and seem like a bitch at first, but once you get to know her, she is actually sweet and caring. But the thing is… she is kind of a loser. I mean, you saw what those kids did to her. They put her on the Homecoming court as a joke, and they are planning all of that stuff! I can't be seen with someone like her… I need to have a good reputation. Joining glee club had already put me as target to get made fun of, and I don't want Rachel Berry doing something to ruin my reputation even more. Plus… let's face it, she isn't that pretty. So when I was kissing her… I wanted it to be Quinn. Quinn is popular and all, and all the guys want her, so I want her."

"Dude, _you _are the man whore!" Puck said, shocked. (And Finn didn't shock him very often).

"We are best friends, right?" Finn asked, now looking nervous. "I don't want you telling people I said that. I know it kind of makes me sound like a douche, but I thought I could tell you the truth."

"Yeah, whatever. I won't tell anyone." Puck hated that he knew Finn's opinions on Rachel. Rachel was already in a shitty position at McKinley High, and Puck finding out that even Rachel's biggest crush thought she was a loser didn't sit well with him. Even Finn, one of the nicest guys that Puck knew, had a side to him that Puck didn't expect to see. How did Puck not notice just how damn _superficial _Finn was?

Just then, Puck saw a sight that he never expected to see. Rachel freaking Berry. She was walking down the hallway cautiously, looking nervous at how everyone was analyzing her. And the weirdest part? She looked _good_. She had on tight jeans with a white shirt, and these boots that made her not look like a midget. And her hair had these bangs that framed her face, and Puck found himself staring at her longer than he thought was necessary. Who knew Rachel Berry could turn into a goddess? She wasn't kidding when she said she was going to transform herself.

"Woah," Finn breathed, staring at the same sight that Puck was looking at. "I think I was wrong about her…"

"Dude, you disgust me!" Puck growled. "You think I am bad, but you go from not liking her because she is ugly to liking her because one day she suddenly looks hot! And you have a _girlfriend! _Does that not ring a bell?" Puck said sarcastically.

Finn turned red with his rage. Before a fight could escalate, something happened that got both of their attention.

Rachel Berry was getting slushied while other students watched, laughing. And instead of keeping a face of dignity like she normally did, she burst into tears and ran to the bathroom.

… … …

Rachel Berry felt good on Monday morning. She spent the weekend getting a hair cut, shopping for more clothes, and practicing her singing and dancing (or course). She figured that Monday would be different than all of her other days at school. She would look good, and people would finally notice her in a good way. So Rachel opened the doors of McKinley in high spirits. She had a good feeling about today.

Everything was going fine for about… oh, five seconds. After her third step down the hallway, she immediately felt the cold burn of a slushy as it dripped down her back and soaked her white shirt. It was the ultimate humiliation. All of her hard work in redoing herself was for _nothing_.

She didn't think the moment could get any worse, but then all of her peers starting laughing at her, and the glee kids just stared at her. Normally, she could shake off a slushy attack, but today she was done with this crap. She was sick of everybody. She was sick of herself. What would it take to fit in with everyone else? Obviously changing her clothes and hair didn't help. What else could she do? So instead of making a remark to the guy who slushied her, she burst into tears, breaking the pact to herself yet again to not cry over who she was.

And when she went into the bathroom stall, crying harder as she saw her new white shirt stained and see-through, nobody followed her in to the bathroom. Nobody cared if she was alright. Nobody cared about Rachel Berry. And at this point, neither did Rachel.

Rachel continued that day as if nothing happened. She changed into her spare shirt that she kept in her locker and removed all signs of the slushy incident. In class, she kept quiet, knowing that drawing attention to herself was not the route to go anymore. Her new method seemed to have worked, because nobody said a mean thing to her during the day. Maybe that was the trick, she realized. Her _personality _was the main problem. She had to admit that at times, she could be a bit brazen, and she did need to work on that. It was natural for her to correct people, and she was starting to realize that people hated her for it. She hated how much she was going to have to change about herself, but it was going to be worth it in the end. Right?

… … …

Puck sat in the glee room, waiting for rehearsal to begin. For reasons he does not care to admit, he _really _wanted to see Rachel walk into the room with a bright smile. After seeing her get slushied, he felt bad for the girl, which was weird since he has seen/done the slushie-ing. But today was different. Hearing Rachel talk about how much she wanted to change herself altered his outlook on Rachel Berry. He actually liked Rachel (not that he would ever admit it), and he didn't want her trying to be someone she wasn't.

Finally, she walked in, though she wasn't smiling and talking. Usually she immediately tried to get people to start practicing, but today she kept quiet and let Mr. Shuester do his job.

Rachel sat one row in front of Puck, so he watched her as Mr. Shue spoke about what they should perform for Sectionals and how they should decide as a group. "Any ideas?" he asked, looking pointedly at Rachel.

But Rachel didn't interrupt with her opinion. She stayed silent as everyone looked at her in disbelief.

"Anyone?" Mr. Shuester said again.

The silence in the room was deafening. Nobody knew what the hell the glee club should perform at Sectionals. It was Rachel's job to decide things like that.

"Rachel?" Mr. Shuester asked hopefully.

"Um… well why don't we go around the room and let everybody vote for their favorite songs that we have done this far? Whichever songs have the most votes can be the ones we will perform."

Puck was pretty sure that everyone's eyes popped out of their heads. Not only was Rachel suggesting something that didn't revolve around her, but she had a really fucking _awesome _idea.

"Wow… that is a great idea, Rachel!" Mr. Shue said in awe.

Rachel shrugged. "Thanks," she said simply and left it at that.

Whoever this new Rachel was, she sure as hell was a lot less annoying. And apparently the other glee members agreed, because they were nodding their heads in approval.

Everybody voted for their favorite songs, which turned out to be a really good idea after all. Everyone could pretty much agree on two songs that they all liked, and Mr. Shue helped pick the other one. Rachel only added her input at the appropriate times, and people were being a _lot _kinder to her. Puck felt like he was in the Twilight Zone.

"Great practice today everyone!" Mr. Shuester said happily, dismissing the students after their two hours practice. In practice, Rachel sang the parts she was given and didn't try to take Mercedes' solo. The practice was a lot more effective when people weren't arguing with one another.

As the glee members were saying goodbye, some even said it to Rachel, whose smile got so wide Puck thought it was going to freeze like that.

Rachel went to her car, feeling better than she had in a while. Though the morning had been rocky, the day had gotten better. Rachel's new attitude seemed to have drastically improved her relationship with the glee clubbers. For once, Rachel felt like she was normal. Sure, her peers still didn't like her, but the people in glee were changing their opinions about her.

As she was opening her car door, a hand grabbed her arm, stopping her. She immediately thought of the worst, and started screaming, but her attackers' hand covered her mouth.

"Let me go!" she mumbled. "I will kick you where it hurts if you fail to release me!"

"Relax, it's just me," Puck said, amused.

"Oh," Rachel said, unsure if she should be relieved that Puck was her 'attacker.'

"I just wanted to ask you something."

Rachel nodded, waiting for him to go on.

He paused for a couple of seconds. "Look… I know that you are trying to change and all. But are you sure this is a good idea? Don't think I didn't notice your new clothes and hair, because I did. And now you are changing your personality too? I _know _that you are dying to speak up in glee. Don't you think completely changing yourself is a bit drastic?"

"No, not at all," Rachel said definatly.

"Then why is is so important that people like you?" Puck questioned fervently. "Just tell me why it matters so much to you."

"Nobody likes me! You said so yourself, Noah. I have no reason to stay that same girl. Nobody is going to miss that Rachel. What do I have to loose?"

"Who said that nobody would miss that Rachel?" Puck whispered.

"What are you talking about?"

"Maybe _I _would miss that Rachel," Puck spoke lowly. "Maybe I think you are pretty fucking awesome the way you are."

"You don't mean that," Rachel frowned in doubt.

"Of course I do!" Puck threw his hands in the air. "You actually have goals, you know what you want to do with your life, you treat people graciously even though they don't deserve your kindness, you have a witty sense of humor… You are just a good person, Rachel. You shouldn't stoop the level of all of those jackasses."

"You don't know what it is like!" Rachel cried. "You aren't the one that gets publicly humiliated on a daily basis. If you were in my shoes, you would want to change yourself too.

"First of all, I can't fit into your shoes. You have tiny feet," Puck said, attempting a joke. When he saw she wasn't laughing, he decided that he was just a douche. "Sorry. I meant that if I were you, I would accept who I am and continue my life normally. People want me to change all of the time. They tell me that I need to grow up and stop being such a player, but I don't listen to them, do I? I don't change who I am because I think it is what I should be doing."

Rachel sighed. "I understand where you are coming from, I really do. But with Homecoming coming up… I just want to fit in. I don't want our peers to make a laughingstock of me. I am afraid I cannot take your advice."

"Then promise me one thing, Rachel."

"What?" she asked cautiously.

"When you are talking to me, you will be the Rachel Berry that I know. Believe it or not, I like who you are, and I don't want to see that girl disappear forever. Can you drop the act when you are talking to me?"

"Quite frankly, we don't talk much," Rachel pointed out, "So this is a bit of a moot point, don't you think?"

"Maybe I want to talk more," Puck said.

"Okay," Rachel relented, "When I am around just you, I can make that promise. I am still confused, though. I don't get why you care so much about something like this."

"Honestly, I can't explain it either. Maybe I just like crazy bitches?" Puck joked.

This time, Rachel laughed. Puck joined in chuckling, and he couldn't help but marvel at how easy it was becoming to talk to her. (And _no_, this does not mean that he likes Rachel Berry!)

… … …

The rest of the week was better… yet it was worse. It was a nice week for Rachel since she hadn't been slushied once since Monday. Just that small achievement made Rachel proud. Her peers still weren't too friendly around her, but she was definitely improving. She laughed with the rest of the kids at crude jokes (even thought she didn't think they were funny), she continued dressing well (she even got a compliment on her shoes), and she didn't brag _once _about a good grade she made (And this was really hard, since she got a 100 on her test! How could you _not _want to brag?)

But somehow, her life felt was worse. She didn't want to laugh at the joke Karofsky made (it was about gay men), she wore shoes that she hated (those heels were uncomfortable), and she couldn't even tell anyone about her perfect math score (she studied really hard). In just a few days, she felt like she was loosing Rachel Berry. If it weren't for her daily short chats with Puck, she wasn't sure what she would do.

As odd as it seemed, talking to Puck really helped her. She could use all of the big words she wanted, complain about Mr. Shuester's song selections, and just be _herself_. Puck didn't judge her, and he was actually a good listener. Sure, he said some crude things that were sometimes offensive, but she was almost forming a frienship with the guy she swore she hated.

But with Homecoming in just two weeks, she needed to stay focused. She had to remember to be the Rachel that people were starting to like. Even Finn was starting to pay attention to her. Over the course of a few days, he was talking to her more and more during glee and sometimes in the hallway between classes. He even mentioned that he was sorry about what happened between them, and he hoped that they could move past that. Rachel was shocked, but she didn't question it. She could use any friend she could get.

Things were looking up for Rachel, and on Friday of that week, the most amazing thing happended to Rachel Berry.

"So… there is this party at my house tonight," Puck said, shoving his hands in pockets and looking ever everywhere but Rachel.

"Ok," Rachel said, confused. "Why are you telling me this ineffectual piece of information?"

"I am _inviting _you to my party!" Puck said, exasperated. "You are dumb for a straight A student."

"I resent that! I am sure you can imagine my surprise that you invited me to a party. I have never attended one before."

"Never? Well tonight's going to be damn fun for you then!"

"Puck… why are you inviting me?"

(He still hated how she called him Puck)

"I know how much this whole social climbing shit means to you, and I figured this would help you out," Puck said, "And _maybe _I want you there."

"Oh!" Rachel said, cheering up. "Well in that case, thank you. I would love to go to your party. Should I bring anything? I can pick up some soda and games-"

Pucks laugh cut her off. "Seriously, Rachel? Do you even watch television? The only drinks available will have lots of alcohol in them, and the only games being played will involve removing clothing."

"That sounds… horrific!" Rachel said with disgust, though she was happy that she was able to be honest with Puck.

"It is what teenagers do," Puck shrugged, "Are you in or out?"

"I don't know," Rachel contemplated, " I am a bit nervous. I have never had more than one sip of alcohol at a time, and I will _not _be removing any clothing."

"I never said you _had _to do that," Puck said, not sure why he wanted Rachel to come to his party so much.

"Can you promise me that I will be safe?" Rachel asked skeptically.

"I can promise you that."

"Then I will see you tonight. I need to do this."

"Wear something sexy!" Puck smirked.

Rachel only smirked back as she prepared herself for the ultimate high school experience.

**A/N: So this update is a little later than I expected, but with a busy school schedule and no internet connention for a while, I have not had the chance to update. I am so sorry for the wait. You guys have been so generous in your reviews, and I have gotten so many new people reading this story. I am so happy with everyone's responses. I am still doing a one-shot for the fiftieth review (we are getting there!), so maybe that is a little initaiative for you to review? :)**

**I hope you liked this chapter. Next chapter is the party! Woohoo! **

**Question of the chapter: Who just saw the latest episode of Glee and loved it? I am not gonna lie, it is kind of hard posting this after watching Finn and Rachel all **_**cute **_**together. I loved how they made a reference to Finchel and Puckleberry :D**


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